This disclosure relates to a method of patterning a surface and to articles comprising the same.
Surfaces that have patterns and other forms of texturing (hereinafter “texturing”) can be advantageously used to minimize the adhesion of living organisms and other forms of non-living matter (e.g., ice, dust, dirt, and the like) to the surface. The texturing can have dimensions that are selected to specifically prevent the adhesion of specific living organisms or non-living matter on the surface, while at the same time encouraging the growth of other organisms or the adhesion of other types of non-living matter to the surface.
For example, in order to prevent the growth of certain types of living organisms the dimensions of the texturing may have to be in the nanometer or in the micrometer range, while for preventing the growth of certain other types of organisms, the dimensions of the texturing may have to be in the millimeter or centimeter range. In another example, in order to facilitate the growth of certain types of living organisms the dimensions of the texturing may have to be in the nanometer or in the micrometer range, while for facilitating the growth of certain other types of organisms, the dimensions of the texturing may have to be in the millimeter or centimeter range. Reproducing this texturing on surfaces that are large in size (e.g., of the area of several square centimeters) or on surfaces that have a complex shape (e.g., a non-planar surface that is circular or spherical) is difficult.
It is therefore desirable to have methods that can reproduce the texturing on surfaces that are large in size or disposed upon surfaces that have complex shapes or disposed upon surfaces located in regions that are difficult to access.